Rigid conduit

[hardworkingstiff]

I've noticed (and other electricians confirm) in the last 3-5 years some rigid conduit has shown up that is very difficult to bend. It is so hard, that you almost need a hydraulic bender for 1" rigid, I've never had that problem before. 3/4" has even been difficult.

Does anyone know what's going on with this?

 

[pierre]

Re: Rigid conduit

I have noticed the same thing... as I got older

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Re: Rigid conduit

Ok pierre

Now that you have that out of the way, have you heard/seen any difference? I even had some 3/4" emt that seemed to be constructed differently. It is almost have if the manufacturers are making it similar to chain link fence posts. Those posts are galvanized, but they have a higher tensile strength vs. conduit (at least in the past).

 

[pierre]

Re: Rigid conduit

Sorry...I had to do that :roll: .

No I have not bent any pipe in several years, so I cannot answer your question.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Re: Rigid conduit

Originally posted by pierre:
Sorry...I had to do that

 

[drg]

Re: Rigid conduit

Im a young guy and have bent 1 1/4" EMT with a hand bender .....that was work and I felt ackward the few times I did that .......
I never bent ridgid condiuts before but I bet right at 1" I wish I had a hydraulic bender also.
What the biggest size you can hand bend rigid pipe ?

 

[sandsnow]

Re: Rigid conduit

I have a hickey that's marked 1 1/2 ". Threads onto a piece of 2" rigid.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Re: Rigid conduit

Originally posted by sandsnow:
I have a hickey that's marked 1 1/2 ". Threads onto a piece of 2" rigid.

HOLLY MOLLY!!!!

I would hate to bend a piece of 1-1/2" rigid by hand. The old style 1" wasn't too bad, but this newer stuff is TUFF!

 

[sandsnow]

Re: Rigid conduit

For a picture of that 1 1/2 hickey go here:

1 1/2 Hickey

 

[celtic]

Re: Rigid conduit

Originally posted by sandsnow:
For a picture of that 1 1/2 hickey go here:

1 1/2 Hickey

That's the biggest beer bottle opener I ever saw !

 

[kentirwin]

Re: Rigid conduit

The biggest one I ever used was 1 1/4". I was a lot younger then -

 

[sandsnow]

Re: Rigid conduit

I can't imagine bending a 90 with this thing! I can see using it for kicks and offsets.

 

[mdshunk]

Re: Rigid conduit

Yes, I have noticed the same thing in recent years. The conduit used to be manufactured to the U.S. Iron and Steel Institute specs, but I'm not so sure that's true now. Even some EMT is tough, as you have observed. Since I mostly work in EMT, I notice that the EMT that is more grey in color (as opposed to shiny silver) is super hard stuff to bend. Try doing a little upside down (in the arm pit) offset with a piece of 1" or even 3/4" 'grey' EMT, and you'll have a sore arm pit for a little while.

 

[izak]

ive noticed that the emt made by republic (silverslick inch-marked) and other emt that has a somewhat bluish cast to it seems to be much softer, a little heavier, but much easier to bend. especially with 1 1/4 where allied and wheatland pipe will kink or ripple easily but the 'blue' pipe will not
ive seen alot of crappy pipe recently and most of it is allied or wheatland